Lullabies and Lies - By Mallory Kane Page 0,48

thought she would break. But Sunny didn’t feel fragile.

She felt dazed and light-headed. She liked the feeling. It took away her fear, even if for a moment. She wanted to be filled, surrounded by him.

She deepened the kiss, and he growled in his throat, the sound vibrating through his lips.

A sensual thrill centered inside her, all the way down to the core of her sexuality.

He felt it, too. She knew he did because he slid down in the bed, pulling her with him, and stretched his body against hers. His hand reached around to cup her bottom and pull her close.

He wanted her. His body told her so.

The thought strengthened the throbbing yearning that engulfed her.

His body hardened, and he pressed against her, his erection hot, pulsing against her thighs as he took her mouth, then trailed his lips and tongue down her neck.

“I should stop,” he whispered raggedly against the hollow of her throat. “This isn’t right. You don’t want this.” He lifted his head and stared deep into her eyes, his so dark they looked black. “You just want comfort.”

She cupped his cheek with her hand. “I do want it. I want you. I need you.” She pulled his head back down and kissed him again, arching against him in a growing frenzy of need.

Griff moaned quietly and touched her, his fingers trailing heat over her skin as he slid her pajamas off.

His skin glided against hers, steel against silk. His heat warmed her fear-chilled body. His strength surrounded her. For this moment at least, she felt hope.

When he raised himself above her, she ran her hands up his sinewy arms to his broad shoulders, then encircled his neck. He slid into her with sweet agonizing slowness.

With a moan, Sunny arched, seeking more.

His breathing grew erratic. She felt his heart beating through his whole body, and hers sped up, matching his rhythm.

He sank hilt deep, filling her, giving her a sense of completion she’d never before felt.

Then he began to move, and a tremor built inside her. From her core, a wondrous tension built with agonizing, titillating slowness, until she wanted to scream with anticipation.

Just when she thought she couldn’t stand it any longer, he stiffened and strained against her, plunging again and again, driving her past all thought. His release triggered hers, and she reached her own nearly unbearable pinnacle just seconds after his.

105 hours missing

THE MORNING SUN shone in Hiram’s eyes as he looked across the street from the motel at his ancient Plymouth, sitting in the holding lot of the auto repair shop next door. The old girl had given him two hundred and seventy thousand miles of uncomplaining service over the past twelve years.

But now she was a goner, and he was stuck seventy miles outside of Philadelphia, and it was all Janie Gross’s fault. If she’d just answered her phone. He’d tried to call her three times last night to let her know that Sunny Loveless and the FBI agent were headed toward Bess’s.

The last time he’d called, while the tow truck was hauling his car back here, he’d dared to leave a message. Nothing specific. Just you’d better call me.

Turning away from the window, he looked at his watch and thought about calling Janie again, for the last time. He needed money, now more than ever, but he’d about decided being homeless on a street corner in the middle of winter would be better than putting up with Janie’s nutty paranoia.

His cell phone rang.

“This better be good, Hiram.” Janie’s hoarse voice scraped his raw nerves. “I told you not to call me.”

Hiram couldn’t help but grin. She was going to regret talking to him like that. He made a point of sounding apologetic. “I didn’t mean to bother you, Janie, but I thought you’d like to know that the last I saw of Sunny Loveless and her FBI agent, they were in his car, headed up Interstate 95.”

“What! Why didn’t you—” Janie cut off in the middle of her tirade.

Hiram knew what she was about to say. Why didn’t you call me? But he had. She had three missed calls on her cell phone. She couldn’t blame him.

“Yeah, and now my car’s broke down. I’m about seventy miles east of Philly. I’m going to need you to wire me some money so I can get her fixed.”

“Screw you and your car. Bess must have figured out whose baby she had. She must have called her. Damn that old hag. I’ve got to